Julie Pellissier-Lush

Julie Pellissier-Lush is an actress, and bestselling author of My Mi’kmaq Mother, Poet Laureate for PEI, recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee medal in 2013, Meritorious Service Medal recipient in 2017, and recipient of the Senators 150 Medal in April 2019. She writes, acts, and does photography to preserve the history and culture of the Mi’kmaq for future generations. Julie wrote the poems for the play ‘Mi’kmaq Legends’ in 2010 and they have been performed for the last 8 years on many different stages in the Atlantic region. It is her hope that this play will someday travel all over Canada and beyond so more people have the opportunity to learn about the rich Mi’kmaq history! Julie lives in PEI with her husband Rick, her five children, and her Granddaughter Miah.

Benj Rowland

Born and raised in the Peterborough, ON area, Benj Rowland is the singer-songwriter and instrumentalist behind the acclaimed Canadian folk duo Mayhemingways. Benj’s first solo album, Community Garden, his first album released under his own name, was recorded and produced by Canadian musical icon Joel Plaskett at his Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Studio-FANG RECORDING. Rowland’s stage show, much like the album itself, is multi-instrumental. Rowland is, to put it simply, a One-Man Folk Band. Playing guitar or bouzouki (a Greek stringed instrument adopted by Irish musicians in the 1960s), drum machine, bass pedals with his tambourine chained feet, all while simultaneously singing in a soft, tender voice, Benj Rowland is a sight to behold. And let’s not forget about his occasional accordion breaks and witty banter. Rowland is truly a unique voice in the rich and plentiful Canadian musical landscape, and a show worth the price of admission.

Trevor Corkum

Trevor Corkum’s debut novel The World After Us is forthcoming with Knopf Canada. His fiction, essays, journalism and reviews have appeared in Canada’s leading periodicals, including the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, Walrus and others. Trevor’s story “Lost Boys” was shortlisted for the 2023 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. In Canada, his writing has been recognized with nominations for the Journey Prize, a National Magazine Award for Fiction, a Western Magazine Award for Personal Journalism, the CBC Short Story Prize, and the CBC Nonfiction Prize. Trevor lives in Epekwitk (Prince Edward Island), where he is a co-proprietor of The Hideout, a rural riverside property which offers retreats and self-directed residencies for Canadian and international writers. Through One Life Writing, he offers workshops, retreats, classes, and manuscript consultations to both award-winning authors and emerging writers.

Robert Pendergast

Robert Pendergast was cut from the Island clay in the 1970s, born into a family filled with storytelling, music, and with a healthy love of food. Growing up in Saint Louis, in Prince County, he was deep-rooted in the cultural and musical traditions of Prince Edward Island. One of six children, Robert learned early on the charms of the kitchen and the importance of breaking bread with others. His mixed Irish and Acadian heritage also meant he was exposed to a variety of cooking styles from an early age. Robert spent several years studying cooking and working in kitchens in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto, as well as several venues in Poland, France, and The Netherlands. Though he loved the experience, his love of the Island drew him back a decade ago. He has been serving up unique dining experiences ever since.

Heidi Brander

Heidi Brander is an award-winning writer for some of CBC’s most popular comedy series: Son of a Critch, Baroness Von Sketch Show, Still Standing, and she served for three seasons as Head Writer of This Hour Has 22 Minutes. She has also written for MTV Live, Spun Out, and the web series Just Passing Through. Heidi has performed all over Canada and the U.S. as a stand-up comedian and appeared as a pop culture expert on Entertainment Tonight Canada, MTV Live, and Much Music’s Video on Trial. Her other accolades include a Canadian Comedy Award nomination for Best New Stand-up, and a first-place win over Ryan Gosling in a childhood lip-sync competition.

Joce Reyome

Joce Reyome, a versatile artist, discovered their true passion in the rhythmic world of music, blending classic blues with raw vocals while tapping into the sweet origins of folk. In 2022, Reyome was honored as Music PEI’s “Entertainer of the Year” and received multiple nominations, marking their swift rise in the island music scene. With performances on the Confederation Centre of the Arts main stage, JUNOfest 2024, East Coast Music Awards and more, they are a force to be reckoned with in Atlantic Canada. An advocate for human rights, video game player, visual artist, and avid jokester, they reside with their wife, dog Frankie, and cat Flori. Reyome, a genuine soul, brings authenticity to their performances, turning audiences into active participants in a journey through heartbreak, humor, and the essence of love itself.

Evelyn Bradley

Evelyn R. Bradley (she/her) is known through her own consulting company ( Bradley Consulting) for workshop development and facilitation, policy revision, and coaching and mentoring. As a diversity and inclusion consultant, Evelyn provides workshop development, training, and facilitation services through her work with The Dandelion Initiative, The Marigold Cultural Center, and The Fredericton Playhouse.

In her spare time, Evelyn can be found volunteering as a board member for the Writers Guild, working on her poetry collection “Communal Conversations,” and hosting a variety of events and shows, including The Road to the Junors tour in 2023, and the culinary series Worth our Salt.

Evelyn believes that to create accountable artistic spaces, we must expand our knowledge of our own biases and unpack our socialization as the first steps to fostering inclusive creative spaces.

Brielle Ansems

If you’re looking for an artist to help you debride some emotional wounds, Brielle Ansems is it. With soaring vocals and a keen emotional vulnerability, Brielle’s live sound invites audiences in with an offer of empathy, connection, and catharsis. Her moody pop-folk sound has earned a reputation for honesty in both design and delivery with the releases of This New Hurricane (Music PEI’s Pop Recording of the Year 2021) and her 2022 sophomore record Still Awake– an album which, like all of Brielle’s music, strives to find beauty in the broken.